Manchester United's season has hit a new low after their FA Cup elimination at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, confirming the club's earliest exit from both major domestic cup competitions in 44 years.
A Historic Low for the Red Devils
The 1-0 third-round defeat at Old Trafford, sealed by a goal from former United striker Danny Welbeck, means Erik ten Hag's side have now been dumped out of the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup at their first attempts. This is the first time since 1982 that the club has failed to progress past the opening round in either tournament, ending a run that had lasted for 44 years.
The dismal campaign began with an embarrassing penalty shootout loss to Grimsby Town of League Two in the Carabao Cup back in September. On that night at Blundell Park, United fought back from 2-0 down to force a dramatic 12-11 shootout, but ultimately fell to the lower-league side.
Season Hopes Extinguished at Old Trafford
With the FA Cup representing their last realistic chance of silverware this season, Sunday's performance was a crushing blow. United were largely second-best throughout the match, and despite a late goal from Benjamin Sesko offering a glimmer of hope, they could not find an equaliser. The team's misery was compounded by a late red card shown to Shea Lacey.
Defender Diogo Dalot, who missed chances in the first half, insisted his team deserved to win. "We created enough to win the game to be honest," he told TNT Sports. "Overall very disappointed because we wanted to go through... I think we deserved to win." He also acknowledged the difficulty of a week that saw manager Ruben Amorim sacked and Darren Fletcher installed as caretaker boss.
A Bleak Outlook On and Off the Pitch
The cup exits leave United's season in tatters. Currently 17 points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal and without a permanent manager, their only remaining objective is a push for Champions League qualification. There will be no European football at Old Trafford next season as a result of last term's poor league finish.
This unprecedented early cup double elimination marks one of the darkest periods in the club's recent history, highlighting a profound lack of direction and consistency. For the fans, the wait for a trophy and a return to the club's former glories continues, with the immediate future looking increasingly uncertain.
